Old Scholar News - Edition 11 - 2020

Farewell and Thank You to our Longest Serving Community Volunteer

Wednesday 12 August marks an important milestone in that Mrs Nita Doddridge is ‘retiring’ from Westminster after 60 years of continuous service. This makes Nita a living legend within our community, having been involved with the Parents and Friends’ since 1961, instrumental in founding the Mothers’ Club (now Parents’ Club) in the 1960s, a School Fair Convenor, an inaugural Foundation Board Member and establishing the Archival and Historical Committee, which is now our Archives and the team in which Nita last served. There is no-one quite like Nita in our community who has managed to be involved as a volunteer in so many different groups and aspects of the School, over such a long timeframe. Nita is also a Life Member of School Council, following her role in School governance through Council. Such is her service to Westminster that Chairman of Council Phillip Styles (’66) presented Nita with a Westminster Honour Award on her ‘retirement’. Only one other person in the School’s History has achieved both top honours (Lifetime Member of School Council and a Westminster Honour Award), that person being former Headmaster (Principal) Michael Murray. We also acknowledge Nita’s huge family connection to the School through the decades – Dr Miles Doddridge (’72), Russell Doddridge (’75), Fiona Doddridge (’84) and Simon Beal (’84), Stephanie Doddridge (’01), Evan Doddridge (‘03), Kelly Doddridge (’08), Henry Beal (’13) and Elly Beal (’14). On behalf of the community, we thank Nita for being a great supporter of Westminster and for being an inspiration to so many others – the School is undoubtedly a better place thanks to Nita.

Vale

We have been shocked and saddened to discover that Thea Liddle (’94) has now been confirmed as deceased, following the discovery of human remains in Byron Bay, NSW. Thea had been reported as a missing person in October last year. The mysterious circumstances surrounding this tragedy are yet to be understood. The case has been widely reported in news channels such as the ABC: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-01/nsw-police-confirm-remains-of-thea-liddle-found-byron-bay/12514710. Our thoughts are with Thea’s family, ’94 classmates and friends during this very difficult time.

Peter Trenorden (’77)
WOSAEO
T: 08 8276 0234
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